Courant Endorsement Makes Campaign Splash

And he planned to keep talking about it in Houston and Louisville today, and who knows where until Nov. 3.

Bill Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, has made The Courant part of his campaign stump speech.

"In Hartford, Conn.," he told a crowd gathered Tuesday in downtown Tampa, "The Hartford Courant, for nearly 200 years, never endorsed a Democrat for president.

"They came out for Clinton and Gore," he said triumphantly, while campaigning on the theme that people are ready for a change.

Sunday, Clinton became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win The Courant's endorsement. The paper, at 228 years old, is older than the presidency.

There were no cheers from the crowd after the reference to the faraway newspaper.

But the Clinton campaign loves it and plans to keep saying it.

"We just think it's the greatest thing, that after two centuries a Democratic candidate came along who caught The Courant's fancy," said Bruce Reed, the Arkansas governor's issues director.

The Bush-Quayle campaign was no more impressed than the Tampa crowd.

"Newspaper endorsements are not the same as votes," said Tony Mitchell, the campaign's deputy press secretary. "And as far as The Hartford Courant is concerned, one mistake in 228 years is not that terrible."